Jacob's Orchard, New Castle: One Tank Trip for Fall Family Fun from Indy

Fun Fall Family Activities in Indiana: Apples

Looking for something different to do this Fall? Try taking a trip to Jacob's Orchard in New Castle, Indiana. This little orchard brings the past and present together in perfect family fun harmony. Jacob's is a little over an hour from Indianapolis but worth the scenic drive.

Jacob's Apple Orchard in New Castle, Indiana.

The quaint family farm and orchard offers the traditional fare of pumpkins, apples,  jellies and jams at a reasonable price. However, once inside the store, follow your nose to the mini-doughnut factory, where you can order a bag of cider doughnuts made to order. Grab a doughnut and an apple slushie and head for the fun!

Allow two to three hours to enjoy the farm. Enjoy a hayride to the pumpkin patch, pick your own apples, feed the goats, climb through the inflatable train, explore the corn maze, and race to the top of the straw pyramid.

Fall Family Fun: Straw Pyramid, Hayride, Maze in Henry County Indiana.

Be sure to bring a sack lunch to enjoy at the picnic area adjacent to the inflatable haunted house. Jacob's offers school field trips and group tours too.

Plan ahead, the orchard is near Summit Lake State Park which offers many family programs, fishing, and beautiful fall foliage.

Recommended Reading:

Things to do in Indiana

Anderson Orchard in Mooresville, Indiana

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

Apples by Gail Gibbons

Make your own Donuts at Home

Make Persimmon Wine at Home

How to Make Salt Dough Recipe: Self-Portrait Ornaments

How to make Salt Dough Self-portraits as Ornaments

Did you ever wonder how to make salt dough? We made self portraits for a homeschool art project. I included how to make homemade clay and a few salt dough recipes. These mini-mes are a great companion project for a preschool or kindergarten learning body parts lesson. You can also make Christmas Tree Ornaments from Salt Dough. We played around with a variety of themes during our homeschool art lesson. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Salt Dough Holiday Ornament Recipe.

Make a Halloween Tree with Homemade Dough Ornaments.

Self portraits from homemade clay and salt dough.

Make Christmas and Holiday ornaments by inserting straw to form a hole.

This recipe is for  how to make clay without cream of tar tar.

Salt Dough Recipe:

1 C. flour

1 C. salt

1/2 C. water

Mix together and knead.

When ready to cook, put on a baking sheet in 

oven at 100 degrees C/ 200 F for 2-3 hours.


Cooking is not necessary, leave your creations 

in a safe place to dry. We left these in a table drawer

and forgot about them.


When cool, paint or decorate with beads or candy.

Salt dough cookie faces.

You might also like how to make Homemade Clay with cream of tar tar.

Info on the History of Clay

We made these self-portraits about four years ago and forgot about them. They've sat in the end drawer of our dining room table ever since. They were never cooked nor painted.

Jake was about four years old and he hadn't met his elementary art teacher yet, but he still had an aversion to art. It was a sensory issue. He didn't like getting his hands dirty. He also worried about getting things on his clothes. If either of these happened, he would get very upset. I suppose this is where my love  of messy crafts was born.

I liked to be tidy as a small child too. I didn't play like the other kids on the playground, because I didn't want to ruin my leotards (today we call them tights) or get grass stains on my clothes. These things troubled me a great deal. So, I'd walk around the perimeter of the playground until the teacher blew the whistle. Little did I know, it was OCD. I've recovered, but some people don't appreciate it. The only way for me to stay sane is to embrace messy things. 

Yep, I didn't want Jake to struggle with the same wacky demons, so I encouraged sensory play.

Even now, he wants to hurry and complete the project so he can wash his hands. If we are mixing dough, he can't let it dry. You know, that crumbly, crackly feeling  on your hands? Mayhem and I like it. It's fun to let the dough dry and then scrape it off similar to letting school glue dry on your hands. I like seeing the fingerprints in the glue peelings. 

Jake? No way. I think this has a lot to do with his hatred of art, and then the teacher came along and made art a boring chore. 

He strives for self-inflicted perfection. He doesn't like the learning curve. He knows a lot. He is a gifted child. When he has to learn something new he is disappointed he didn't already know it. You can see the shame and the disappointment in his face. 

Recently, he had to take a Scantron test online, the test was smart. The more correct answers, the harder the questions. We told him to guess, but he refused. He labored over each question and made a very educated guess. In the end, he scored above average, but the test was torture. He cried with each question  for the first time aware he didn't have all the answers. 

Jake beginning his journey in art.

If only he could realize art works the same way, but it's better because there are no real answers in art. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am the beholder here. I like his salt dough self-portrait the wavy hair and round face remind me so much of my happy, bouncy, little four year old.

Next week's journey, Animal Printmaking, proved very difficult for a neat freak. Smudges are a perfectionist's nemesis. Start here for Jake's Journey in Art 


Recommended Reading:

Air Dry Clay Projects

Minecraft Creeper Wood Carving Project

Christmas Dough Crafts

Salt Dough: More than 100 Projects! (American Girl Library)

Halloween Turnip? Why do we carve Jack-O-lanterns and How to Carve a Pumpkin

Ever wonder why we carve pumpkins on Halloween? 

Why isn't the cartoon called, "It's The Great Turnip, Charlie Brown?" And, why is it called a Jack-o-lantern anyway? Scroll down to find out how the pumpkin carving tradition began. Enjoy!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Turnip Jack-o-lantern.

Halloween Legend and Folklore

The jack-o-lantern is named after Jack, of course. He needed a lantern. Poor Jack he drank too much. His 18th century, Irish neighbors considered him a drunk and a miser, so they called him Stingy Jack. 

Apparently, Jack invited the devil over for a drink. He tricked the devil into paying (read more about this legend from TLC).  Of course, the devil was angry and he vowed to come back for Jack. Various tales tell the story a bit differently, but it ends with Jack hallowing out a turnip, inserting a burning coal ember, and using it to light his way through HELL or to keep the devil at bay. Afterward, Irish families carved turnip lanterns to keep Jack's ghost away. Thus, the Jack-o-lantern was born.

How to carve a pumpkin.

Once the Irish immigrants saw the pumpkin, they knew the larger veggie would be easier for Jack to see.

Do other countries carve pumpkins?  Here is a little tutorial for turnip and pumpkin carving in case you're new to the tradition. MARTHA STEWART CARVED TURNIPS

Why do we carve pumpkins?

  Grab a grand pumpkin or turnip.

Carved Turnips.

Get a big carving knife, insert about 3" from the stem. It's difficult to cut, you must poke the knife in and wiggle it a little, pull it out, and then begin again until you've completed the circle. 

Once the top is removed you can begin cleaning your pumpkin. Just dive in with your hands and a large spoon and scoop the stringy goo and seeds out. Only pie pumpkins are edible, but the seeds of all pumpkins can be toasted for a yummy snack.

Pumpkin Seeds waiting for roasting.

At first, the turnip seems like it's impossible to carve, but practice makes perfect. Score a ring inside the top layer (from where you removed the lid) and use your knife or a sturdy spoon to scrape out the insides. Leave about a 1/4 inch ring of flesh.

Turnip Jack-o-lanterns ready for candles.

Draw a fun face or artsy, spooky picture onto the veggie. Insert Knife, pumpkin carving tool or even a screwdriver and cut. This is not fun- not for you, not for the littles. It's difficult, but once you've got a good slice going the piece will start to loosen. Let the littles place their hands inside the pumpkin/turnip and push out with their thumb. Oh what fun! It's like a little jigsaw puzzle.

How to carve a pumpkin: Digging out pumpkin guts and seeds.

Pumpkin clean inside and ready for a candle.

Keep your pumpkin dry! If you keep it in the house it lasts longer. Pumpkin Preservation Experiment. We sprayed ours with vinegar then wiped the excess liquid and patted the rest dry (it didn't work). Glue and Petroleum Jelly are only myths- see the preservation link. 

Decorate gourds: Happy Meal Stickers.

Mayhem stylin' with pumpkins.

Pumpkin Decorating Supplies: Stickers from a Happy Meal, Carving ideas, Battery powered Votives from Dollar Tree.

We like to decorate our pumpkins with stickers or felt to keep them thru Thanksgiving season. Don't believe me? Here is our snow pumpkin we decorated for CHRISTMAS with our snowman kit.

Decorate a pumpkin like a Snowman.

Ahh... Halloween, I love you.


Recommended Reading:

The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown

Extreme Pumpkin Carving, Second Edition Revised and Expanded: 20 Amazing Designs from Frightful to Fabulous

October Calendar of Special Days

How to make your own DIY Edible Face paint Ideas & Recipes & Build Self-Esteem: The Thing About Monsters is

How to make edible face paint and recipes for Toddlers and Kids of all Ages

Remember, You Can do it with Creative Play and a Can-do Attitude. Recently, we did a post about Monster Trouble (Our first KCC Kids Video) check out the fun here. SCROLL DOWN to see DIY Face Paint Recipes for face paint/makeup, lip gloss, sensory play and Witchy Me.

Monster Trouble?

Face Paint Kit by Alex Toys.

In the video in the post, a sneaky monster is made with items from our costume trunk/creative play stash and Alex Toys Face Paint Studio. Not once, have we posted pictures or recipes of our homemade and edible face paints. During our creative play and messy classes playing with face paint has been a staple. So, read on to discover many ways to create self-esteem, a fun day of creative play, how to make less of a mess, and enjoy the little time you have with your littles and not so little ones.

Sneaky Monster peeks out of the brush.

I see you and your Monster Face paint.

It's hard to see, but he was modeled after the Connect a giant Monster kits above from Alex Toys. The Monster has a purple and green nose and red and orange eyes. This is a great kit for your older kids. Give them a mirror and a book of silly face ideas and let them go wild! Creative Play is a great self-esteem builder. Let them try out different faces, remove the paint with a little water or vaseline on a cotton ball, and be sure to tell them how great it looks. No buts or maybe ifs allowed.

Homemade face paint.

What's that you say? You don't want to have to clean up the mess? Put them in an empty tub the mess will clean itself, but make sure your little Max Factor helps. They might complain, but cleaning up after themselves teaches responsibility and independence. I can do it! Yes, you might have to tidy up- just don't complain about it.  You don't want your child thinking they can't do anything. If they can't even clean up after themselves they'll stop trying! So, count to 10, take a deep breath, and then say, I love how you are learning to clean up after yourself; it makes me so proud!

Do you want to be remembered as the Mom with the spotless house or the Mom who was so fun and positive? Your choice, you decide.

Crazy Blue Face Paint Fairy.

How to Make your own Face Paint (Recipe):

Cold cream, Food coloring, Cornstarch, Egg Carton.

Start with 1 C. of cold cream (Noxzema type)

Slowly mix in 1/2 to 1 C. cornstarch until it is a smooth, creamy consistency.

Divide into an egg carton or muffin tin.

Add 1-2 drops of food coloring. Experiment with more or less and color combinations.

Use cotton balls or paint brushes to paint a masterpiece on your face.

Most colors will wear off quickly or wipe off easily with water due to the cold cream. Sometimes, yellow requires a little petroleum jelly to remove all the residue. 

With experimentation you can get professional results with these ingredients. It does dry and get crackly. Some kids don't like this sensation others think it's cool.

Homemade Face paint and makeup recipes.

Make your own Edible Face Paint for Preschoolers and Toddlers:

Caregivers, do you need 20 minutes of me time? This is AMAZING. If you don't want to leave the little alone in the bathroom spread an old, white sheet or vinyl tablecloth on the floor. Cornstarch, food coloring or colored drink mix, water, white flour, big spoons, and mixing bowls.

Start with 1/4 C. of flour

Mix in 1/2 C. of cornstarch or powdered sugar (think icing)

1/2 to 1 C. Cool Whip (Readiwhip doesn't work.)

Sift with fingers to mix and enjoy the sensory aspects.

Slowly add 1/4 to 1/2 C. water stir with spatula

Water and cornstarch make an interesting science experiment so make sure to add the flour and Cool Whip first. Mix to a creamy icing consistency ~ Spreadable.

Divide into egg carton and add food coloring or Drink Mix powder (Kool-Aid) works best.

The little will have a blast studying their face and admiring their handiwork  Let them remove their shirt and paint tattoos on their belly or  bugs on their hands. This is a fun way to teach babies eyes, nose, mouth, etc.

The ingredient measurements are guidelines. Warm water vs. cold, warm house vs. cool all of these can affect the makeup- experimentation is key.

Mixing paint is great for fine motor skills and sensory learning.

Make your own EASY FACEPAINT / MAKEUP

Kid’s Yummy Lipstick Recipe:

Petroleum jelly, honey, maple syrup, or non-imitation vanilla, unsweetened drink powder for color and flavor.

Put Petroleum jelly into microwave safe dish

Microwave the petroleum jelly for 30 seconds to one minute until 

warm, remove and stir.

Add Kool Aid and Honey

Mix well
Spoon into gift containers, refrigerate.

Changing Hair Color:

Experiment with Conditioner or Petroleum Jelly and unsweetened drink powder, & Baby Powder. Spray Aqua Net to set the color. May take several washings to wash out. We found a YouTube Video here.

Happy Halloween and Haunting  or Go break a leg!

Recommended Reading:

Fun Face Painting Ideas for Kids

3 FREE Disney Phineas Ferb Pumpkin Carving Stencil Printable Pages Activities for Kids

Disney Phineas and Ferb Activities and Pumpkin Carving for Kids 

Phineas and Ferb! We've got 3 cool Pumpkin Carving Template Patterns from Disney! You'll have a blast carving a Perry the Platypus pumpkin with this traceable pattern from Disney. Click the link below for a free Phineas and Ferb activity and coloring book. Enjoy!

Perry the Platypus coloring activities for kids.

Click > FREE Phineas and Ferb game and activity book pdf

Click to highlight the images below to find and print Disney Phineas, Ferb, and Perry the Platypus Pumpkin Carving Stencil Template Patterns! These are the perfect patterns for little Disney fans to use for a DIY Disney Pumpkin or print and use as a coloring sheet!

Ferb Pumpkin Carving Template.

Perry the Platypus pumpkin stencil.

Phineas pumpkin pattern template stencil.

Recommended Reading:


Free Pumpkin Carving Online Game

How to Make a Perry the Platypus Costume

Phineas and Ferb Laughapalooza Joke Book *

Make a Phineas Mask for Halloween

Spooktacular Joke Book (Phineas and Ferb) *


 *I receive tickets to the show for sharing these goodies with you. We do not share your personal information with others. Third parties may collect information through cookies when you click into their sites. The Walt Disney Company is neither a sponsor nor an endorser of this giveaway.

Things to do for Fall Fun at Conner Prairie

My Favorite Thing to do for Fall Fun and Halloween

You know I love Halloween and Fall, but did you know I was once the Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie? Well, not just once. Many times, I raced down the path in the obtrusive costume barely able to ride a horse. Thank goodness good, ole Blaze and Jess knew the drill.  I sure miss those lovable guys.

Read my article at Examiner.com for some fun activities at Conner Prairie. It is worth the drive!

Activities for Children: How to Make a Straw free Scarecrow with Recycled Items

How to make your own Kid Scarecrow without Straw

When we visit a local farm, there are lots of activities for children including an area set aside to make your own scarecrow. It is very messy and smelly! We all sneeze. Wouldn't it be cool to have a scarecrow without straw?

Activities for Children: Mini Scarecrow for Indoors.

So, a few years ago, I decided to design my own allergy-friendly scarecrow activity for kids. We used paper and recycled bags!

Tired old allergy free scarecrow.

How to Make an Allergy-Free Scarecrow

Old kid's clothes (short sleeves work too).
Paper lunch sacks or plastic pumpkins
Plastic grocery bags
Raffia, yarn, staples, or duct tape to attach the parts.

Grab your kid's old , torn clothes. Stuff the pants with plastic grocery bags. (Tie them in knots or blow them up like balloons for extra padding.) Stuff your shirt.Ties the feet and arms off with string or tape with duct tape. Stuff shirt into waist of pants. Duct tape works best here. Attach it to look like a belt. Cut arms or hands from paper bags as needed. Staple to end of shirt. Make feet too. Stuff a paper lunch sack with plastic bags, tie it off, and attach to the shirt. You can use a plastic pumpkin for the head too- not as easy to attach. Throw on a straw hat or cut out strips of the lunch bag and staple on for hair.

Recommended Reading:

Companion books for this children's activity are:

The Big, Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown *ad

Creative Pumpkin Activities

Get Creative and Make a Pumpkin Mummy

This pumpkin mummy is an adorable and less messy way to decorate a pumpkin for Halloween! We found these cute little pumpkins over at Hands on as we Grow.  Enjoy!

Mummy pumpkins from Hands on as we grow.

We made these for a preschool Halloween Hoopla class and the kids loved them! Just wrap your pumpkin in cheesecloth.

Recommended Reading:

Why do We Carve Pumpkins?


The Runaway Pumpkin *ad


The Night Before Halloween *ad